Zoom-Zoom V

My fascination with les motocyclettes in Paris has become more focused on the details. This scooter has many accessories: windshield, wipers, roof and semi-enclosed cab, a trunk for storage, headrest. The leather guards for feet and hands seem quite necessary for a gentleman professionally dressed such as this.

What a Beemer!

Creating Paris Rouge

So, this is how you get "Paris Rouge"

For Virginia who might love Paris Rouge even more than I do.

Give me a paint brush, please, and another bucket of that rouge vif!

For more weekend reflections, visit James' Newtown Daily Photo

Toc! Toc!

Toc! Toc! Qui est-là?

The massive doors of Paris, closed to the outsider, the stranger. present a mystery. Without a key or a secret code for entry, the stories inside remain hidden.

While walking the streets, camera at the ready, I got very close to the dark wooden door to photograph the ornate hardware. On about the third click of the camera, the door opened inward suddenly... I do not know who gasped first, but I almost fell on him and he nearly stepped into me. I quickly withdrew and then we both laughed at the surprise. (Whew)

Must be a French girl

In front of La Maison du Bon Vin on Rue des Halles our heads were turned by this mother/daughter scene. With the photos I captured on this recent visit to Paris, my "must be a French girl" series will be well-stocked. I hope you approve.

La Maison du Bon Vin
Rue des Halles et Rue des Déchargeurs

L'Hôtel de Sens - Jardin

With the intriguing Hôtel de Sens on the other side of this formal garden, this gentleman preferred to work his puzzle. The benches were full on this weekday afternoon: people enjoying picnics, relaxing with friends, or wrapped in plastic taking a nap (not kidding).


Hôtel de Sens
4ième arr.

Les Chevaux et les enfants

Beautiful weather and Sunday afternoons might produce a charming sight such as this one seen in Parc du Champ de Mars.

Allée Adrienne
Parc du Champ de Mars

Aujourd'hui

The elegance of over 4,000 stained glass windows at Chartres Cathedral seems appropriate for today, Easter Sunday. This is the St. Stephen Chapel of Martyrs, a story told in the panes of the windows.

Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres
Chartres, France

Symbols of Paris

Here at the Métro Saint-Philippe du Roule (Line 9, color Acacia) entrance on Avenue Franklin D Roosevelt, we see not one, but two symbols of Paris. The métro sign itself consists of a "radio antenna" style yellow "M" in a circle on a pole. This Métro stop was opened in 1923 but I think that the sign came later.

Just adjacent to the metro is one of the classic dark green news stands, an icon of Paris. Can you imagine the amount of this dark green paint used each year on benches, chairs, kiosks, railings...?




Métro Saint-Philippe du Roule
Avenue Franklin D Roosevelt

Full Moon over Paris

There is not much that could take my breath away like this full moon rising in Paris on Monday. In all the times that I have been to Paris I have never been there for a full moon... just look at those clear skies and wispy clouds framing the moon.

Marie, Janeen and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner together on our last night in Paris and walked to the Louvre and on to the Seine for a night shoot. The weather was perfect for just a sweater or light jacket. We perched on the edge of the pool, chatted, told stories and took photos.

I am so glad that I was there as I do not expect to ever have the stars lined up so perfectly for me again.


For more weekend reflections check out James' Newtown Daily Photo.

Quiet Courtyard

A quiet courtyard in Paris is a great relief from the noisy streets. But in the evening the sounds carry to the open windows above. It is much more comforting to hear the chatter of friends than to hear only the single clicks of a solitary person walking on the stones.

Stealth fashion photo

I am fairly brazen about taking photos but one never knows what shots will cause a fuss. You definitely have to be careful about taking photos of shoes in Galeries Lafayette as they will repremand you promptly. So, when I was in a boutique section of Printemps, I just snapped this for the pink and orange fabric (so me) and that amazing hand quilting on silk. Then I quickly do a sketch of the garment.

I will share more of this obsession another day. I think I got it from my mother (but it is a good thing, Mom)!

Rue de Lappe

This quiet street in the Bastille area is a mixture of shops and restaurants, all with apartments above. The flower-boxes give a gentle nature to this narrow Rue de Lappe.

Un apéritif à Paris

What a wonderful time we had... a casual party, in Paris!

From left on front row: Julie of Sydney-Eye; Marie (M); Aude of Paris-ci Paris-la; Back row: Peter of Peter's Paris; Cynthia of Parisian Adventures; moi; Mary Ann of Classic.Casual.Home; she-who-must-not-be named, our concierge; Eric Tenin of ParisDailyPhoto.

I cannot imagine anything better than getting together with friends in a chic Paris apartment. It seemed like playing make-believe at the time.

Église Saint Eustache

I have brought you to Église Saint Eustache before, but this shot shows the enormity of this majestic church.

Bon dimanche

Dimanche Matin - Rue Cler

As crowded as it is in this photo, it is likely noon or later. Rue Cler is a wonderful walking street for shopping, for un café, for brunch on a terrace, for people watching...

Père Lachaise IX - Forlorn

Quite often I think of cemeteries in terms of black and white, but she was just too lovely with her alabaster-like skin offset by the dark green foliage to take out the color.

Les Oiseaux

I did not see any birds but there were many people "perched" on the terrasse... When the weather is nice, the empty café chairs are few in number!

Les Oiseaux
Rue de Sèvres

Architectural shapes, rouge, neon

This café is quite well-known and situated on the corner right in front of Place St-Michel. I snapped this photo on a previous visit for the obvious qualities:

• Architectural shapes


• Neon sign


• Rouge!


• Des fleurs

When you pop out of the Métro Saint-Michel this lovely café is there to greet you!

Café Le Depart-Saint Michel
1, boulevard Saint Michel

Piano man

Last June (2010) we crossed from Ile Saint Louis to the back side of Notre Dame on Ile de la Cité and saw this "piano-man" singing for coins and pounding the piano keys on Pont Saint-Louis. I snapped this photo not knowing that he was a regular around Paris. I have just discovered his photo in Bill Gillham's book "Parisians' Paris." If I see him on this trip I will get his autograph in the book!

Leaving on a jet plane....

Guess where I am going.... I am sure you know!

PARIS!

I will still have a daily post and will have some updates of friends and places in Paris. À bientôt! .

Église Saint-Merri

Église Saint-Merri with its dome of light...

Always look up!

Bon dimanche...

Dominoes?

Early on a Sunday morning I spied these 7 delivery bikes which had suffered the tumbling effect of dominoes.
.

Zoom-zoom!

Les clés

Keys suggest a mystery to me. What did they open and what secrets did they hide?

C'est un mystère!


Rue Saint-Paul
Marais




To see more Weekend Reflections go to James' Newtown Daily Photo.

L'Ebeniste

This area of Paris is full of cabinet-makers and of those who repair fine antique pieces. I have a friend in Nogent sur Marne (Paris suburb) whose father was a well-known ebeniste and I took this photo for her.

This ebeniste certainly selected an elegant rich color for his atelier, n'est-ce pas?

Didier Maulet
38 rue Traversière

Gant d'un artisan

In the window of the artists who hand-paint the bone china, we saw this glove (gant) and purple glasses. The artisan-owner must have been out to déjeuner.

Wish that we had seen her at work.

Viaduc des Arts
Avenue Daumesnil

Les Grenades

These are not pastries but they are delicious and so good for you. If I eat enough of these healthy fruits I should be able to indulge in the pâtisseries next week, bien sûr!

I always think that the pomegranate seeds look like little rubies. Je l'adore.

Marché Maubert
le mardi, le jeudi, le samedi
Place Maubert, 5ième arr.

Une banquette rouge

Le Bistrologue Café at the corner of Boulevard Diderot and Rue Crozatier caught my eye with its red bench on the terrasse. I think that this would make a cozy corner for meeting friends... next week!

All of the café spots will be full of people enjoying the warmer weather of spring. Where we found many empty outdoor chairs and tables in December, we will see a totally different scene in April.

Le Bistrologue Café
74, boulevard Diderot

L'Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine - L'Ascension

Yesterday I attended the funeral after the unexpected death of my sister-in-law (belle-soeur). I think she would have loved this vision in La Madeleine, the work of Charles Marochetti.

Bon dimanche

L'Escalier III

This staircase to our 5ieme etage appartement several years ago, was a bit neglected but just needed a good oiling. I love the dizzying effect of looking down (or up) into a staircase... especially in Paris.


Bon weekend, mes amis!

Saint-Ouen - Marché Biron II

The window shopping at Marché Biron is fabulous, but the prices are sometimes astonishing. Holly and I once met two American antique dealers who come every six month or so to fill a shipping box full for the trip across the Atlantic, headed to New England. We asked them if they spoke French and they laughed and said that they did not need to as they spoke, "Cash."

They were nice enough but it sent a shiver down my spine in their lack of interest in the magnificent language of this country from which they buy and then sell. What a loss for them. Tant pis.

Marché Biron
Marché aux Puces St Ouen
Métro Porte de Clignancourt